DOGS DAILY: The Trade Period Begins

The QMJHL’s holiday trading period begins today.

The Saint John Sea Dogs are expected to make a couple moves early on in the annual trading period. It was reported yesterday that defensemen Jason Bell will be traded to Bathurst and Julien Tessier will be dealt to Chicoutimi in exchange for draft picks.

The Sea Dogs have made just three trades during the 2015-16 season so far, acquiring affiliate players Jordan King and Ryan Chiasson along with veteran defenseman Matt Murphy. The Murphy deal took place last week.

Saint John made four deals during the holiday trading period last year, including significant deals involving Bokondji Imama and Olivier LeBlanc.

Today should be a busy day around the league as a numbered of rumoured deals will be made official. All official trades will be posted on the QMJHL website.

The trading period ends on Jan. 6.

In other news…

• The trading period may have just changed drastically as the Pittsburgh Penguins have assigned Daniel Sprong back to the Islanders. Sprong instantly becomes one of the QMJHL’s best players. Will the Isles trade or keep him is the question.
• The Sea Dogs enter the Christmas break with a 20-13-2-0 record for 42 points. They sit second in the Maritimes Division and eighth overall – 10 points back of the division leading Moncton Wildcats with three games in hand.
• At the bottom of the division, an interesting race is happening with Bathurst (4^th), Halifax (5^th) and Charlottetown (6^th) all tied with 29 points.
• If the regular season ended today, the Islanders would miss the playoffs and they’d be entered in the draft lottery for the first overall pick. Saint John acquired Charlottetown’s first round pick in the Oliver Cooper trade. The Sea Dogs have picked first overall in each of the past two seasons.
• Luke Green ended the first half with six goals in his past five games.
• With another shorthanded goal last night, the Sea Dogs have scored the second most shorthanded goals in the league with 11. Val-d’Or leads the league with 15.
• Jakub Zboril is on the Czech Republic’s 26-man world junior roster that is departing for Finland.
• Thomas Chabot and Team Canada play three world junior pre-tournament games over the next few days. They take on Belarus today at 1 p.m., the Czech Republic tomorrow at 11 a.m. and Sweden on Wednesday at 1 p.m. All three games are on TSN.
• Pierre-Luc Lurette, traded to the Remparts in last week’s Matt Murphy deal, made his Quebec debut on Thursday and registered an assist and three shots. He was held off the score sheet yesterday.